The next best mountain towns to live in

witch hobble wrote

My ideal town needs access to good, somewhat reliable whitewater paddling too. Makes the pickings even more slim.

Along with Mission Ridge and Stevens Pass, the Wenatchee Valley has paddling too...

Benny makes a legit point. Being broken off in a ski town really kind of sucks. When there is two+ feet of snow on the ground for over 6 months there isn't much to do. It's also a bummer to be surrounded by skiing obsessed people every day when you are stuck on the couch.

This and the fact that good hospitals can be an hour or longer away even when the weather is clear places like SLC, Flagstaff, or Bellingham start to sound like a better idea.

As far as the west side of the Tetons goes, that's Mormon country. There are plenty of old ski bums and funky Jackson transplants over there now that there is a developing community of like minded people and you do have the Trap bar and Knotty Pine for apres. Targhee can be Grand Foghee often but it's a nice hill with very deep snow. The touring around the area is plenty fun as well and as far as it having the intermediate rep there are huge airs and some pretty big committing lines just off the area as well. I'm glad I got to experience Jackson for a few years but I sure as heck wouldn't go back to try and have a high quality family life or retirement unless I was mega wealthy.

Someone mentioned Asheville NC, that's a beautiful area. It's one spot out east I could see myself spending some time if I were able to actually let go of my skiing addiction (ain't gonna really happen though). I hear Boone is really cool too.

I'd throw in Pagosa Springs Co. and even though it's expensive and discovered I have to say that Crested Butte is one of my most favorite mountain towns ever. If you haven't been do yourself a favor and go. That valley is jaw dropping beautiful, has really awesome lift served expert skiing, massive back country and some of the best high altitude mountain biking in the world.

PeeTex wrote

Benny Profane wrote

 whatcha gonna do if you blow out your knee living up there.

Get a new one, you'd be surprised the number of geezers skiing on artificial knees and hips. I knew a guy who bump skied at 85 on two artificial knees. He's gone now - died in his sleep after a long day of skiing K-mart.

Ha, yes. I have had knee issues the past few years after a meniscus procedure. I've been lucky enough to have one of the best knee guys in Colorado, Dr. Janes of Vail Ortho, as a consultant about it (really wish I had him do the procedure). He's nearing the end of his career, and was quite frank with me the last time I saw him in March. He told me to manage it well, stay away from impacts, like bumps (for fun) and running, and then just get it replaced in my 70s if it deteriorates to a point that it's stopping me. And, he doesn't do replacements, that's for a new, younger generation of Ortho guys to do. He told me he could do a few things for me, but, eh, why bother, just replace it when the time comes. And, Medicare pays for it, mostly!
The instructors at Taos are all pretty old and beat up (great guys, highly recommended), but there's three or four out there daily on artificial knees and loving it. The guys under 65 are just marking off the calendar until Medicare, so they can get some new joints and carry on.

Everyone shut up about Sandpoint. That's my spot.

Not mentioned: Girdwood, AK seemed cool when I was there. Salida, CO seems to have been discovered, but still seems cool. I'd live in Silverton for a year to see how I'd do in a tiny town with big skiing. Basalt, CO is right down the road from Aspen and seems like a place I might be able to afford in commuting distance.

Various Canadian towns would be good, too.

My dream, though, is to live in Wanaka, New Zealand. Was only there for a couple of days, but it's my favorite place.

Yeah. I've known skier/paddlers from here in NH that have moved out to both Leavenworth and Twisp.

Looks sweet.

  I'm also at least 5 years from moving anywhere, even in town.

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Everyone shut up about Sandpoint. That's my spot.

The wife and I liked Sandpoint, felt a bit like a lakeside Boulder CO, and we enjoyed Targhee-esque Schweitzer a half hour up the road. But step outside Sandpoint town limits and you better keep those commie-pinko comments to yerself!

(video responsive-ized - a temporary trick that will work for the time being.)

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Everyone shut up about Sandpoint. That's my spot.

Not mentioned: Girdwood, AK seemed cool when I was there. Salida, CO seems to have been discovered, but still seems cool. I'd live in Silverton for a year to see how I'd do in a tiny town with big skiing. Basalt, CO is right down the road from Aspen and seems like a place I might be able to afford in commuting distance.

Various Canadian towns would be good, too.

My dream, though, is to live in Wanaka, New Zealand. Was only there for a couple of days, but it's my favorite place.

Matt politically you can't live in ID like I shouldn't try to live in Cali or VT
There are packing heat and you are a commie

raisingarizona wrote

Benny makes a legit point. Being broken off in a ski town really kind of sucks. When there is two+ feet of snow on the ground for over 6 months there isn't much to do. It's also a bummer to be surrounded by skiing obsessed people every day when you are stuck on the couch.

This and the fact that good hospitals can be an hour or longer away even when the weather is clear places like SLC, Flagstaff, or Bellingham start to sound like a better idea.


Someone mentioned Asheville NC, that's a beautiful area. It's one spot out east I could see myself spending some time if I were able to actually let go of my skiing addiction (ain't gonna really happen though). I hear Boone is really cool too.

Asheville is a small city right on I-40.  Has a small airport.  Boone is a college town a little farther from a major highway.  Not sure where people go when flying to the Rockies.  For someone who might do a little mid-week skiing, Boone is better.  During the summer, it's a toss up.  Personally, I think I'd pick Asheville over Boone.  Partially because I would still want to travel during all seasons.

As for knees, not only are there plenty of geezers with replacement knees and hips still skiing the hard stuff, there are also more advanced/expert skiers than you might then who are missing an ACL who didn't go for ACL reconstruction surgery for one reason or another.  I know a 70-something (maybe close to 80 now) who blew an ACL and thought his skiing days were over.  Found out otherwise as he immediately started rehab.  Doesn't need to be the case, and doesn't mean staying on groomers either.  He'd had ACLr surgery at some point when much younger and knew it would be unlikely any surgeon would recommend it to someone 70+.

Boone is really a high elevation (for us easterners) town. Over 3000'. Nice area. Wicked bad traffic congestion when I was there. Cool funky town but with some ugly weird skyline development. Several ski areas nearby, and 5000' mountains.  Good whitewater, though Asheville is better.

I'd go with Davis or Thomas WV, if I was going to southern or central appalachians.

If I were moving to the south east I would probably not be skiing there. I'd focus on the mountain biking, bass fishing and creek boating. The last one being if I were young and ok with more injuries.

Z wrote

Matt politically you can't live in ID like I shouldn't try to live in Cali or VT

Sounds like northern and eastern CA would be a perfect fit for you.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/02/us/california-far-north-identity-conservative.html

I'd still ski.  But I haven't gone soft from years of hardcore western lifestyling!

Z wrote

Matt politically you can't live in ID like I shouldn't try to live in Cali or VT
There are packing heat and you are a commie

Why are you telling me what I can and can't do?

Go for it
Then hit a bar and spout off your normal spiel and see how them Idahoe folks respond
Make sure to pay your Obamacare payment first

Yet coach can somehow live a happy, peaceful existence in the reliably blue, high tax liberal wasteland of NYS!

States' political personalities are not monolithic. All states have all kinds of people.

Soft? No, I just know better and no longer feel desperate.

White grass over in WV looks like fun.

Please keep politics out of the Woodstove.

If you want to have this discussion, start a new thread in the OT.

Yeah you buffoons this thread is for skiing and people who need their lawns mowed!!